Smell: Muted aroma. I thought I'd give it some time to warm up, maybe that's the problem. I was watching the opening ceremonies for a soccer match. Question to soccer fans: do they always cart out kids and light up smiles faker than the flopping prior to every game? Nearly a solid thirty later, it's still pretty dull. A little yeastiness, whisper of honey/toffee, and a sniff of booze.

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Pours a clear dark golden orange color with apricot edges and a one finger, frothy white head that slowly settles into a thick, lasting ring. Pretty good retention with streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Grassy, spicy and slightly herbal hop aroma with a sweet malt backbone and subtle booziness. There's an odd caraway/sunflower seed presence as well but it's complimented by the sweeter malt notes. Bready, biscuit-like presence along with toffee, caramel and biscuit. There's a strange perfume, slightl adjunct like character that I can't really put my finger on but overall the aroma has a decent balance of earthy hops and sweet malt notes.

On the lighter end of medium body with a bitter grassy hop presence up front that's countered by a very sweet malt backbone and an unpleasant metallic adjunct like character that lingers long into the finish. This sweet adjunct flavor was evident in the nose but is much stronger here and really hurts the flavor of the beer. I'm not sure if it's just in my head but there is a sweet corn or rice flavor that is really sweet, overtaking over the hops and interesting malt notes. There's a touch of boozy heat in the finish but the high ABV is nicely masked. Not harsh per se but the hop flavors are muted and the off flavors make it tough to finish a small serving.

Poured one and a half bottles into a 1/2 liter stein wich brought good clarity to a copper/bronze body and a nicely defined one finger creamy-like head atop.Very clean nose with only mild toastiness and caramel sweetness.A full almost creamy feel to the beer is by far the best part of it.Flavors have subdued caramel and doughy sweetness up front more mild sweetness coming from the alcohol and a honey tinge,hops are subdued just giving a faint flash of leafiness,I even detect a sour note, although very light in the finish.Iam not sure about a double steam style but I Iam a big fan of ST going back to my western NY days.

T: A medium hops flavor with a medium hops bitterness. As in the nose there are a fair amount of light colored fruit flavors and a light spice note. A medium-light caramel and cracker like malt flavor with a light sweetness having a balance that is somewhat bitter. Some hops bitterness in the aftertaste.

M: A medium bodied beer with a medium-strong level of carbonation.

O: A hop focused beer with a fair amount of yeast character. A cool idea for a style that has been well executed.

Without a doubt, we can appreciate brewers taking a style and doubling or imperializing it. A job well done here. The brewer’s intention is clear, as this brew simply takes California Common and makes it BIG. All of the balance and drinkability is there, which is quite a feat, especially for a lighter-colored brew.

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Appearance: It has a light orange amber colored body with a light haze. The head is just off white in color and hangs on well. As I sip it makes lots of cool lacing on the glass. Smell: The aroma has a good bready base with a balanced orange citrusy hop presence. Taste / Palate: The flavor matches the aroma. It has a solid bready malt base with notes of orange marmalade and citrusy hop bitterness.

Overall: I tried rating this to style as it is better than several beers I have had of this style. That said, of the 2X series it is probably my least favorite. It meets the style, but the extra alcohol really does not do much for me flavor wise. The rest is just an ok beer. I will pass in the future.

2X Steam opens to a yeasty, malty aroma, reminiscent of rising whole wheat dough dusted with flour, with fresh-baked baguettes lingering just behind. Beneath this is a layer of brown sugar, which mingles with light orange, berry, and apricot fruit esters. Touches of caramel add additional sweetness, and the faintest hint of grapefruit from the hops brings in a bitter counter. The emphasis here is clearly on the yeasty malts, though the sugars do come in more strongly as the beer rests, and the overall effect is very nice, like hot breakfast cereal with berries and brown sugar. The main weakness here is simply potency, for despite the 8% ABV, the aromas are only medium strength at best.

On the tongue, the beer opens with the yeasty rising whole wheat dough noted on the tongue, amplified by floury baguettes, chewy biscuit, and Grape Nuts cereal. Brown sugar slides in next to orange, berry, and apricot fruit esters to provide sweetness, mingling with touches of caramel. A faint grapefruit note from the hops adds balancing bitterness. The aftertaste is a continuation of the main mouthful, focusing heavily on yeasty bread dough, and lingering for a decent while. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is very nice beer, the bread dough emphasis an excellent choice, and the sugars and hops providing good overall balance. Eminently drinkable.

Copper penny color. Thin layer of foam on top. Light malt and that familiar California common yeast aroma. The mouthfeel is smooth and crisp. Very malty profile with the familiar yeast flavoring. I get some hop interplay in the back of the palate. Never had an imperialized California common. It is pretty good, but not amazing.

Poured into pokal. Crystal clear yellow-orange with a thick fluffy white head that dissipates quickly leaving delicate lacing. Smells like an ale; hops and clear malts. Taste is like a cross between an IPA, a pale ale, and a lager; hops move in and out of clean malts with lager yeast finishing a little bitterly with hops. Mouthfeel is clean, a bit thicker because of the high abv.
I'd like to try more of this style, but it doesn't amaze me.

I like the 2X series, especially the stout and IPA, never had the 2XMAS ale...these beers are higher in the alcohol department but served in a more manageable size unlike their other high octane brews. Pours a crystal clear amber body with a cream colored head, kind of thin textured in appearance, fine speckled lacing patterns left behind as it settles. Aroma semi sweet nose, muted a bit served cold at first after warming not much more opens up. Flavor has the same raw earthy bitterness that the Steam beer from San Fran has, semi sweet bread mostly a subdued caramel sweetness with evident alcohol with a minimal light syrup texture. Drinks down way too easy especially for 8 percent abv it doesn't offend in anyway it's just a solid drinking beer about as refreshing as an Anchor, just with more malts shining through. Mouthfeel light residual sugars on the palate even carbonation light to medium bodied not cloying at all, alcohol is just barely evident. Overall, a beer that will get your non craft beer drinkers wasted, even though this beer is flavored toward a newbie into craft beer with somewhat of a lack of complexity they did what they wanted to do and stayed true to the originators of the style.

A: Pours a clear orangish amber with a 2 finger off white head. Decent amount of visible carbonation in the body. A few spots of lacing. Good head retention.

S: Malt forward aroma with a bit of an apricot like fruity tinge to it. Hoppiness is in the background which adds a touch of citrus. Hint of booze. Malts dominate the more it warms.

T: As anticipated this is a malt forward brew. The malt flavors are well rounded, a mix of breadiness, sweetness and fruit. Hops show up to even things out but arent too prevalent. Alcohol comes through but doesnt distract from the flavor.

M: Medium body with light carbonation. A pretty clean finish considering the style, just a touch of stickiness. Easy to session considering the ABV.

Overall a solid new beer, won't blow you away with flavor but is instead a balanced albeit malt forward brew. Works for coming out of winter and into summer.

This is a rather simplistic offering from ST. It's brewed to style and has decent drinkability given its size. It's a bit dry and the alcohol is noticeable, but there is enough depth to enjoy. As a beer this is a bit forgettable, but for the style it's on point.